Yes, that regular sized Easky 15 would be too big for Aaron.
Again…if the Perception was the first boat I ever sat in, it probably would not strike me as too big. Just spacious. For your purposes, specifically camping, it might be fine. And if you expect to be joined by others who may want to borrow a kayak for a day paddle with you, it’s an ideal lending boat. Stable, reasonably fast, and almost indestructible. You could spend a lot of time driving around and not find better. If I were you I might just grab it, build up your equipment inventory, enjoy the summer and keep an eye out for other local boats. Buy this one at the right price and keep it or turn it over once you find another…
Your first kayak will not be your last. 
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lml999 makes a great point. There’s a lot to be said for grabbing something decent, using it a while, take some lessons, see what you like, then you can take your time looking for something you like better, and flip the first boat.
Also, the Vela I think has quite small volume for gear and is likely not a great boat for camping unless you can pack light.
That Easky would be too big for you – you need a low volume (LV) boat. My ex boyfriend (5’ 7" and about 175 pounds) loved my Easky 15LV when he would borrow it so he found and bought a used standard Easky 15 (recommended for his weight) and found he did not like the looser fit (he had been a whitewater paddler and liked to “wear” a boat snugly.) I agree with Doggy-Paddler that you would find the standard Easky 15 too sloppy.
Regarding the Vela: Celia loaned me her Vela when I was visiting her in Maine last summer. It turned out to be a bit snug for me – while I loved the feel of the boat (though not as much as her fabulous Romany which she had let me use earlier that week) I ended up getting bad cramps in my piriformis (back of lower hip joint) muscle I think because of the snug seat and had to head to shore and get out to stretch a couple of times that day . She may have it custom padded for her and she is a couple of sizes smaller than me. If the OP is a young athletic guy my weight he probably has a smaller keister. The Vela is a really great sea kayak but probably not what I would choose for an interconnected backwoods lake trip. It’s pretty heavy but it is fast and was a joy to paddle (when my butt wasn’t whining at me!)
Yeah man. That boat right there. P&H Vela. That’s the one I’d look at.
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For realz, I want that boat! 
Don’t you be making any unannounced trips to WI!
LOL, for me it’d be a 19 hour drive so you’ll beat me to it. Plus, I already have a nice boat. (But prolly could make room for just one more…)
You gonna go take a look?
1st law of used kayak acquisition…If it looks to be in good shape, buy it. Sell it if you don’t like it
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Going to try. I emailed the guy this morning to ask if it was still available and if he thought it would fit my frame. No reply yet.
The Impex Montauk and the Vela are not the same boat at all.
The Vela is on the narrow side but has a surprisingly high deck. My guess is you would be just OK on fit but could get challenged if adding camping gear.
The Vela is a sincerely cool little boat. Has rock solid secondary stability, but some find its approach unnerving. It has a single hard chine so she will whack well over onto that. But I have had this boat in haystacks over my head, as long as I stayed loose the boat was not going anywhere. A coach went swimming that day in the same stuff.
On the less fun side the boat really is prone to weathercocking and in higher winds the skeg doesn’t fully handle it. Unlike most newer boats it has a “tight” bow. Can fix that up with loading a bit heavy in the stern.
I would be concerned about the camping part. The rear part of the boat, which is normally your work horse space for gear, is extremely shallow. It does not take a lot to fill that up after the tent.
Kayak versus canoe comes down to whether portaging is part of the picture. Like it or not, kayaks are a PITA for portage compared to a properly set up canoe.
Still no word from Vela guy. I’m supposed to see Selkie next week. Selkie guy is also selling this boat:
Any thoughts on this as a temporary boat to get me through the summer/resell it once I find something better? I can probably get it for $450.
Summers are short in Minnesota and I’m not finding much for good used kayaks. Canoes are way more plentiful - perhaps I should just go the canoe route this summer so I can get some VNP/BWCA camping under my belt and take more time on the kayak search.
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Have you read this thread about the Vesper?
So the person who has the Vela and the Vesper is on the smaller side. Find out their height and weight, close to yours you are good to go.
The Vesper would also need at least a float bag for the bow. The Vela is set to go but is fiberglass so likely pricier.
I also wonder if you should forget the longer term kayak for camping this summer, do the canoe for that. And think more about where you would paddle a kayak. For ex bigger lakes where the handling characteristics of the Vela would be good.
If it is cheap enough, addition of a float bag up front would give you a chance to use the Vesper as a beater boat to start working higher end kayak skills for cheap money. A basic fabric and bungied skirt would be fine as long as you don’t mind some water getting in.
I looked at the Vela again and think I am seeing something like kevlar weave inside, so it would be lighter than the norm. So mayhaps the price is fairer than I think. Worth asking. And been kept way more nicely than mine.
Here is my game plan:
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Try to get the Vela kayak. Guy is not responding so I don’t know if this will be possible.
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If that fails, find a good used aluminum canoe on Craigslist to use for the remainder of this summer. Can find tons of canoes in my price range.
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Keep eye on Craigslist for a good used kayak for the remainder of the summer.
I still like the Selkie, just not sure if its right for me after listening to you all and another friend.
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Even if you get to see the Vela keep in mind that you really want to try it out before purchase to see if it feels good to you. The best kayak in the world is only the best because it’s right for your body.
My guess is that the seller of that boat doesn’t know much about it. They did not specify the brand or model in the ad, and the length they listed is wrong. Maybe you asked questions they don’t know the answer to and are trying to find out?
One thing to keep in mind with a seller who is selling a kayak that looks like a good deal, but isn’t quick to respond, is that he could end up selling it to someone closer while you’re in the middle of your 4 hour drive and not bother to let you know. Craig’s list isn’t “first to inquire gets dibs”. It’s first to show up with the money gets the deal.
Question on the canoe front.
I’m seeing a lot of older Alumacraft/Grumman aluminum canoes for $400-700. They appear to be in good shape and would fit my need for camping on Rainy Lake or BWCA.
As long as they are in good condition and do not leak is there much to worry about? I see a lot of Old Town canoes for cheap as well, but they appear to be a plastic type material. Not sure if I should keep those in mind as well in my search. If I go canoeing it will be with two people - probably won’t go out solo so weight concerns are probably not a big deal.
Found these kayaks and the guy would deliver north to Rainy Lake for me. He believes the Explorer would be a good fit for me.
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Love the NDK Explorer & it is priced fairly assuming it’s in decent shape. As with the Selkie though, the 10 inch hatches are not optimal for camping, especially where portages are concerned due to having to unstow/restow often. It is a great kayak especially for open water paddling.
PS - An NDK Explorer HV is my go-to kayak and I use it for remote, multi-day camping.
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